You’ve done the hard work. The open days were packed, the applications are in, and your conditional offer numbers look healthy. You’re over the finish line, right?
Sadly not.
In the FE recruitment cycle, May is the ‘danger zone.’ It is the month of peak uncertainty, a psychological shift where students who were 100% committed in February suddenly begin to retreat as the reality of leaving school sets in. To win the enrolment game, you have to understand that ‘safety’ isn’t just a grade requirement; it’s a state of mind that needs constant reinforcement during the high-pressure run-up to exams.
The Psychology of the May Uncertainty
Why do students change their minds just as the finish line comes into view? It usually comes down to three invisible pressures:
-
The Path of Least Resistance: Under the immense stress of exams, the teenage brain craves the familiar. The school they’ve attended for five years feels ‘safe,’ while your college feels like a giant, unknown leap.
-
The Dinner Table Audit: This is where the ‘invisible influencers’ (parents) step in. As results day looms, parents often default to the traditional routes they understand. If they haven’t been ‘sold’ on the safety and career prospects of your vocational and academic pathways, or your exciting campus, they might nudge their child back toward a stay-at-school 6th form.
-
The Peer Magnet: If a student’s core friendship group stays at school, the fear of ‘social isolation’ can outweigh the excitement of a course at your college.
Is Your Content ‘Parent-Proof’?
Before you launch your May peak campaign, run this quick audit on your current creative. If you can’t tick these boxes, you’re leaving the door open for ‘The Path of Least Resistance’ to win:
-
Visual Reassurance: Do your images show staff lanyards, secure entry points, and professional, supervised environments?
-
The ‘Jargon’ Test: Have you explained T-Levels, Level 3 Apprenticeships, or BTECs in a way a parent, who likely took O-Levels, traditional A-Levels, or didn’t attend a college, actually understands? Create a simple route map to show how these qualifications can lead to good jobs or university.
-
The Commute Factor: Is your ‘How to get here’ information updated for 2026 travel costs and safety? If you offer bursaries to support parents on lower incomes, make sure the information on how to access them is clear and accessible.
The May Pivot: 3 Campaigns to Stop the Slide
To stay relevant during the April–June peak, your creative needs to move from ‘discovery’ to ‘validation.’ Here are three high-impact hooks to keep your college front-of-mind:
-
The ‘Safe Hands’ Series: Use native articles to interview your Safeguarding Lead. Address the transition from school to college head-on. Parents need to know their child won’t be ‘lost’ in a larger institution.
-
The ‘Industry-Standard’ Spotlight: Use video to show that a college workshop or lecture hall is actually safer and more professional than a school classroom. Frame it as ‘The Professional Choice.’
-
The ‘Exam-Season’ Support Hub: Align your college with ‘Help, not just Hype.’ Offer revision guides or mental health tips on the Reach network to capture the seasonal traffic surge.
Using the ‘Halo Effect’ to Lock in Loyalty
When a student or parent is feeling hesitant, they look for signs of credibility. This is where the Reach Halo Effect becomes your greatest retention tool.
Research* confirms that advertising in trusted local news environments provides a ‘halo effect,’ significantly boosting brand trust. By placing your college’s success stories and safety reassurances alongside trusted local journalism, you aren’t just ‘advertising’, you’re becoming part of the local fabric of success.
Why Reach is Your Retention Partner
We don’t just help you find new leads; we help you protect the ones you’ve already won. During the April–June peak, our data shows a 6x surge in users consuming further education content. They are looking for answers, and we ensure your college provides them.
-
Total Market Coverage: We reach 7.2 million Gen Z users and 5.6 million parents, ensuring your ‘reassurance’ message hits both sides of the dinner table.
-
Targeted Intent: With 2.4 million users** actively searching for ‘courses & training,’ we can keep your college front of mind during their peak moments of doubt.
-
Local Trust, National Scale: Use the credibility of our local titles to prove that your campus is the safest, most professional choice in the region.
Don’t Wait for Results Day
The battle for your September cohort is being fought – and often lost – right now at the dinner table. Stop the ‘May Slide’ by transitioning your campaign from ‘Apply Now’ to ‘You Belong Here.’
Complete the form below to discover how we can help.
